South Jersey gets its cream doughnut fix again as Del Buono’s Pastry Shop opens in former McMillan’s Bakery

Del Buono’s Pastry Shop on Haddon Avenue is open for business.

The Haddon Township pastry shop at the former family-run McMillan’s Bakery opened its doors for a soft launch Tuesday, giving customers the first peek in since McMillan’s shut down last May after building a loyal following over eight decades in business.

The opening comes as renovations, which took the bakery down to the studs and expanded the space after its 86-year legacy, wrap up.

Other than a few final finishing touches to the space, “what’s really left to do is to bake,” said Robin Lange, the shop’s social media director.

The shop’s most popular items, which include McMillan’s signature cream doughnuts, pizzelles, biscottis, and more, are already for sale, according to Lange.

But no one seems to know the place is open yet, owner Tom Whitman said. His daughter was the first customer.

The grand opening is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, coinciding with the township’s music festival on the same street.

Whitman and his 30 employees will give out 1,000 free cream doughnuts, swag, and a chance to win a cake by Al DiBartolo, the South Jersey baker and Food Network alum working at the pastry shop.

DiBartolo’s Kakery, which sells custom and ready-made cakes and baked goods, takes up half the 2,000-square-foot bakery in what was once McMillan’s storage closet. By 10 a.m. on Tuesday, DiBartolo had fully stocked his two display cases after baking late into the night and early in the morning. He eventually plans to host monthly themed cake decorating classes there.

DiBartolo flipped through an old notepad featuring decades of his family’s recipes, as employees worked on a cannoli filling created by his uncle. He showed off the original McMillan’s ovens, which Whitman had refurbished rather than replaced.

“You’re really getting authentic, old-school baking in here,” DiBartolo said. “But with a modern twist.”

Del Buono’s Pastry Shop is the latest in a series of food destinations Whitman, 63, has developed over the years. Whitman, once a Domino’s Pizza franchisee, owns 100-year-old Del Buono’s Bakery in Haddon Heights and all three Carmen’s Deli locations in South Jersey. He purchased the shop for $500,000 last September and said he has since spent millions in renovations. Two apartments Whitman is building over the shop, which he said could rent for more than $3,000 a month, are still in progress and don’t have confirmed tenants.

The new pastry shop will have specialty coffee in addition to doughnuts, pastries and other desserts, all made in house, and Whitman said he hopes to sell products made there at his other stores.

While bread and rolls and a few other items will be sourced from Del Buono’s Bakery, Whitman is carrying on McMillan’s legacy in other ways.

Doug Biemiller, a grandson of McMillan’s founders George and Evelyn McMillan, has returned to the new building as a Del Buono’s employee.

Two more McMillan’s alumni sped around the kitchen Tuesday afternoon, maneuvering around sheet pan racks and icing doughnuts. Both said their current work isn’t much different from their time at the now-closed bakery.

Juan Cutz, a mixer and baker, worked at McMillan’s for two years after 12 years at Classic Cake Bakery in Cherry Hill. He said he does pretty much everything but decorate, and he hasn’t changed his technique since working for McMillan’s.

“It’s the same,” Cutz said.

Ed Skotnicki, 73, worked at McMillan’s for 53 years. He now plans to help out at Del Buono’s for at least a few months as the pastry shop gets settled.

”The only reason I’m here is to see this place come back to life,” Skotnicki said.